Archive for: ‘November 2006’

Once upon a time, two princes met from far away lands. Both were devilishly handsome (of course) and the instant their eyes met, they fell for one another. It was kismet. They romped naked in the blond prince’s realm and explored it and eachother.

But their time together was brief, and the brunette prince had to depart the blond prince’s land for his own. After tearful goodbyes, he was gone.

After and what seemed an endless period of time, another meeting was planned in the brunette prince’s realm. Many exciting events were planned by the one prince for the other. After the arduous journey, the blond prince arrived to a bouquet of red roses presented by his prince. It was true love! They swam naked together in the ocean, rode horses bareback and bathed in natural hot springs.

One more visit of the brunette prince to the blond prince’s realm sealed the deal. Looking into each others eyes they both knew it had to be forever. The brunette prince swept the blond prince off his feet and took him to his realm where they lived happily for ever after.

Over ten years ago I had a dream.I dreamt that one day I woke up with a purple aura just over my skin.It was like a purple glow just above the surface and showed even through my clothes.I showered, got dressed and went to work.Everyone at work who saw me shared with me the knowledge of what it meant.I was chosen to make a pilgrimage to determine if I would be one of the Dalai Lamas.On the chosen day, I left the US and flew to an Eastern land to make the pilgrimage.Many more people with purple auras were there.We all gathered at the foot of a huge snow covered mountain and knew our goal was to get to the top.

The passage was long and hard.Many faltered along the way in their hurry to get to the top first.I stopped to help those who met with various mishaps on their journey.Some fell into crevasses and/or were injured, others succumbed to exposure.All that I saw I helped to safety, even though it slowed my progress substantially.After many tortuous days, I made it to the top and was surprised to see that I stood there alone.A golden woman flew to me and held out her hand.She said, “You have helped all that you saw, and now you are a Dalai Lama”.I touched her hand and my aura changed from purple to saffron gold, as it the golden glow chased away the purple.I hastily returned to work, golden glow and all.Things were different now.At the work day’s end people would line up at my office door for advice and blessings from a Dalai Lama.Sometimes, the other Dalai Lamas and I would travel via astral projection to distant lands to advise leaders about affairs of state and personal issues.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama has stated that pain and suffering is payment for one’s bad karma.I asked my husband about whether my recent trials resulted from my bad karma, and Sean laughed and said that if that were so, I have paid more than in full and definitely too much for my whole life.Also, the Dalai Lama has said that when one is suffering, one can imagine that they carry suffering for others, so that others may not suffer.I kind of hope that is true because it makes me feel strong.One thing that He said that I fully agree with is that suffering increases one’s capacity for empathy and compassion.Further, He has said that the goal of life is to be happy.

I had bought the traditional game of Tibet at our local Tibetan goods store for my niece.The game was solid brass and had a number of tigers and goats encased in the playing board.

Bagha Chal – Moving Tigers Game

My sister called me and said that the game was short by two goats.So, I returned to the store for the two goats.The owner told me that sometimes the pieces can get stuck inside the brass box and you need to give the box a good shake for them to fall out. But, he gave me the pieces anyhow.

Before I was to mail them to her, I called to verify that they were needed.My sister called to her daughter about the two goats and they had been found.I asked Evie if she had counted the goats herself and she told me she didn’t.So, with some irritation, I returned to the store to return the goats.

The owner, who is a friend of mine, nodded knowingly as I returned them and repeated that they are counted twice before sale.Then, I stopped and thought about that.My sister probably wanted to rely on her daughter’s count and not question it, as her daughter was 11 at the time.I looked up at the owner, and said that it must be hard to raise children as at a certain point you want to trust them and give them some independence, even if sometimes they will be wrong.He told me that I should be president, as I was so compassionate.

I thanked him profusely. However, I told him I was not interested in the job. I do not think that the American people want a compassionate president; too bad for them and for all of us.

The next morning dawned cloudy and drizzly. It was our last day in the keys and Sean really wanted to go out and snorkel one more time. So did I, but the weather was ominous. We did not have a charter arranged, so we would have to rent a boat ourselves. We decided to go to the John Pennekamp Park again to rent a boat. It surely wasn’t far. We probably would have walked if it weren’t for all of our gear.

The docks at John Pennekamp State Park

When we arrived, we bought a dive and navigation chart and planned our voyage. There was a shallow wreck straight out from the Park that we were sure we couldn’t miss and we decided to head for there. We walked out onto the docks to look at the boats that were available. I don’t specifically remember the sizes, but we picked one out that was affordable. The staff kind of gave each other looks, and upgraded us to a bigger boat for free because of the bad weather. The water was a bit rough with peaky waves, but not white caps.

This one was not for rent and too big.

We threw all of our gear into the boat and fired her up. Sean has lots of experience piloting boats, so he was fine with taking her out. She plowed nicely through the waves but I was glad he was doing the driving. I prefer ideal conditions. We were both fine on the way out and found the proper mooring without any problems. I caught up the mooring and we were tethered before we knew it.

This is what it looks like heading out of the park on a nice day.

This is about the size boat we got, but ours was an open whaler.

Then we began to feel the waves. Our little ship was tossed! We hurriedly got out of our warm dry clothes and donned our cold wetsuits. God, I felt so green in the cool breeze. Suddenly, Sean leaned over the side and tossed his cookies. That certainly did not help matters. I just had to get into the water. Sean got in before I did and said that it was really much better in the water. So, I got in and he was right. I did, however, throw up a bit in my mouth. The water felt warm and I could no longer feel the waves. I put my face in and with my snorkel mask there was an illusion of calm and the nausea went away. Thank god!

We set about trying to find the wreck. Sean spotted it first and directed me to it. It was really shallow and I could see it well. Even though it was kind of boring, I really wanted to stay in the water. I idly followed fish around to amuse myself. I certainly did not want to get back into that rocking boat and throw up my guts again.

Sean and I surfaced and we talked about it. He proposed that we could get on the boat and get going right away with our wetsuits still on and get changed when we got back to the park. My man is so smart sometimes. That is why I love him. So, that is what we did. Neither of us got sick again. It was great to be on dry land upon our return. The park staff eagerly asked if we had a good time, like they were expecting to hear horror stories, but instead we told them we did have a good time. We had an adventure together. We faced a challenge and together made it work out for the best.

Friday Night Lights on NBC, Tuesdays at 8 PM, glitters with youth, energy and testosterone. It is my new guilty pleasure. The show is about the Dillon Panthers High School Football Team in rural Dillon, Texas that is contending for the state championships. The new coach, Coach Taylor, played by Kyle Chandler,

Oh God, I want him…

Oh, look, he’s all concerned for a fallen player…

relies on his star quarterback Jason Street, played by Scott Porter.

Just your typical all American boy…

I’m drooling already. I mean look at these guys. Can you say hot? Of course the coach is married and always canoodling with his wife to the point to which his comely teenage daughter is grossed out. Oh yeah, but it is good for me! Of course the quarterback has a girl friend, who is predictably a cheerleader. Okay, I gotta stop typing and wipe the drool off my keyboard. Here is a photo of them kissing.

The inexperienced second string quarterback is Matt Saracen, played by Zach Gilford. Yum.

Ohhh. He’s brooding. Is he worried that he’ll lose? I could comfort him…

Gaius Charles plays running back “Smash” Williams (yummier),

Nice guns Gaius!

And former Abercrombie model Taylor Kitsch plays alcoholic, bad boy running back Tim Riggins, who is also Jason’s best friend (yummiest).

So Friday night rolls around and it is the big game. Everyone is charged up for the game. The exit door is painted, “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Loose!!!” which the whole team chants before hitting the field. The game stays close and in the 4th quarter when Dillon gets the ball back the coach puts his star quarterback in and oh! He takes a bad hit! That’s got to hurt, people. He’s down on the field. There he goes, off in an ambulance.

Coach Taylor looking concerned over his fallen QB.

So, Coach Taylor puts Saracen in. But, little Mattie goes blank. He can’t remember how to play ball. The coach takes him aside and says, “Matt, son, I know you can do this. I want you to call this play…” By hook and by crook, and with help from the Panthers Saracen wins the game. The whole team piles into the locker room victorious and it is announced that Jason is paralyzed.

I never would have thought that the energy of that opening show could have been continued, but it has. New issues now face the team and the novice Coach Taylor. Jason’s story is still followed as he learns to accept his new disability and almost loses his girlfriend to his best friend Tim (hot).

This was a particularly hot scene where he wanted to talk, but she said that they could talk about how he was cheating with his paralyzed best friend’s girl friend.

Tim gets reamed by the Coach, and not in a good way.

Another gratuitous wet football player shot. Coach makes them all workout in the rain.

A new star quarterback now homeless due to Katrina comes to town to play for Dillon and that brings eligibility and loyalty problems as well as challenges for Matt. Matt begins to fall for the Coach’s daughter (never a good thing). Of course everybody has girlfriends (this is the football team) and some get swapped around. I guess if you had a teenager at home this show would give you a heart attack. The next episode is about homecoming. I can’t wait.

I think I will write to NBC and suggest that they introduce a gay character or two. That would certainly be timely and dramatic. Don’t you think?

Our town’s Land Trust is putting together an Eastern Bluebird box trail. The state has donated the wood for construction of nesting boxes. Twenty boxes have been built by our local Girl Scout Troop and more are planned. Land Trust members are assembling the posts and predator guards with materials they have donated, and installing them at proper locations around town. The one pictured is in our local cemetery.

Enlarge photo if you can’t see it

Eleven have been installed so far. The next step is to begin a project where towns’ people, including children can adopt a box to monitor and clean throughout the year. That way we will know how many bluebirds we have nesting in our area.

Bluebirds are here in our town, we have all seen them. They visit the blackberry bushes in my yard and must live somewhere close by. We may even put a nesting box near our koi pond and see what happens. We also have other birds that may use the boxes such as tree swallows and wrens. Our neighbors have a box up and a pair of bluebirds nests in it.

Walgreens Pharmacy Update

Today, the First Selectman will break ground on the new Walgreens Pharmacy project with a shovel painted gold. Reportedly the contractor presented the citizens’ group’s reworked plan to the Planning & Zoning Commission and that is what will be built. I will post photographs of the finished building.

Cumberland Farms Gas Station Update

An impressive list of expert witnesses have been gathered by the citizen’s group’s lawyer. So much so that the depositions have been postponed by Cumberland Farms. The hearing date to challenge the appellants is in January.